


Rose Tinted Love

by Yumoh



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Crushes, Flower Language, Fluff, Heists, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Pining, Some angst, kaito thinks he is being obvious but kudo is a dense as a brick, lot and lots of roses, what is canon compliance??????????? because this story is a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2018-11-19 03:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11304375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yumoh/pseuds/Yumoh
Summary: or 5 times Kaito confessed to Shinchi + the 1 time Shinchi understood





	1. Lavender

**Author's Note:**

> This fic deals heavily with rose meanings because im a corny nerd. Also I hope this fic isn't too messy because I have no beta or anyone to help edit.  
> tumblr:sailor--trash

This was Shinichi's first heist after finally getting his older body back. It had a different feeling now than it had when he was still Conan. Maybe that was due to the literal complete change in perspective he had gone through. Maybe it was this feeling of bubbly anticipation that was there. Either way he felt almost impatient for the infamous thief to arrive.

The area was swarmed with police as they were preparing to make the venue a fortress but Shinichi knew that Kaito would manage to escape. There was almost nowhere Kaito couldn't manage to escape from. He had already gotten questions from multiple police officers confused on why he would rather be here instead of out doing his usual cases. Honestly these heists were a relief as they were a break from the blood and gore of his usual grisly scenes. No one got hurt, aside from some bruised egos and the jewels got usually got returned. Kaito was a puzzle but at least he wasn’t the usual kind of criminal that Shinchi encountered.

Since coming back to his original form, nothing seemed normal. He had to resettle into his old life but he felt out of place still. He felt like a puzzle piece that you swore used to fit in that exact spot but now seemed completely wrong. He couldn’t go back to being that Shinichi who loved to make newspaper headlines and still had childish notions of being unstoppable. Now he had become cautious of everything and everyone and he knew exactly how mortal he was.

Relationships he had as Shinichi and as Conan had shifted and morphed. He had new friends in the Detective Boys, Heiji, and many others. His feelings had changed for some people as Ran had become less of his crush and more as his older sister. He finally let her go knowing it was selfish to let her keep waiting for him when the Shinchi she knew was never coming back. They had been working on it but it looked like they still were going to remain close friends. Life has moved on and he would be okay in the end. The past couple years had been a nightmare but also a blessing. Being Conan had helped him become a better detective and person as a whole.

He got to meet the infamous jewel thief as Conan so there was that. It was a little frustrating trying to keep up with the brilliant thief with his rather small body but it had it’s benefits. His tiny body made hiding and ambushing a lot easier also it was a lot more amusing. He could still remember the look on Kaito’s face when he realised that he had been outsmarted by someone who at least appeared to be six years old.

From there they had an almost friendly rivalry as both tried to out do the other. He would come up with an elaborate trap to capture Kaito and then Kaito would unsurprisingly find his way out. It was a game of cat and mouse that was almost fun. He once tried to explain it to Haibara and she just said, “Careful if you say things like that I might just get the idea that you like Kaito Kid.” He had sputtered for a moment after that before profusely denying it and definitely not turning redder than his bow tie. Shinchi just liked the change of pace that was all and Kaito was just a way for him to relax after solving all those murders.

He was broken out of his thoughts as suddenly all the lights went out. He guessed Kaito had decided to make his grand appearance. As suddenly as they turned off, they turned back on again. There in all his blinding glory was Kaito Kid perched on the display case of the jewel. Dangling from his fingers was a necklace. Of course what Kaito probably already knew that one was fake and what he probably had yet to work out was the real one was in Shinichi's pocket.

If Kaito wanted the real necklace then he would have to follow him right into his trap. Shinichi felt himself grin unconsciously as he wanted to make his first impression on Kaito since he got back into this body to be a good one. Shinichi could hear Nakamori barking orders at his men to catch the thief but the room filled with pink smoke. Luckily Shinichi had planned for this and stood close by the stairwell so he could escape.

He reached for the doorknob and yanked open the door. He ran up the stairs knowing that with Kaito even seconds were the difference between capture and escape. Kaito had probably noticed his absence already and would soon be on his tail. Shinchi ducked into his prepared room as all of this was part of his plan. The door was propped open and would remain like that until Kaito came in. Due to a little ingenious thinking, he had made sure that once the door was closed that the only way out that wouldn’t take forever would be the window. To ensure the door would close behind Kaito, he laid a fine trip wire almost too thin to see. When Shinichi put his mind to it, he could be just as devious as Kaito Kid.

All he had to do was wait for the thief to come find him and try to take away the necklace. Shinichi could feel his heart beating loudly in his ears and his breath seemed to catch in his throat. Suddenly he heard soft footfalls on the stairs, almost too quiet to hear. He tensed as he waited for the sounds to come closer to him.

Shinchi heard a voice softly cry out, “Tantei-kun, are you trying to play with me?” He decided to keep quiet and wait for Kaito to find him in order for him to believe that he was hiding, instead of sitting in wait. The footsteps got closer and then in the doorway stood the thief with his wide grin like he was just swelling with confidence.

Kaito said with a smirk, “You really do like the chase Tantei-kun.”

Shinchi just smirked right back and said, “Why don’t you come and get me then,”

That is when Kaito walked right into his trap and activated the tripwire. Kaito stumbled slightly but his steady balance kept him from falling. The door slammed behind him making a satisfying click.

“Looks like you forgot to look before you stepped,” Shinichi said with a mock sense of pity. He made sure that he was blocking the window so that Kaito would have to get through him in order to make his escape.

Kaito unsurprisingly didn’t seem very fazed by the fact that he was now trapped in with Shinchi instead if anything he seemed happier. He slowly stalked closer to Shinchi before stopping almost right in front of him.

“I love a good surprise and do you know how hard it is to find a detective clever enough to give me one is? Can I keep you?” His eyes sparkled as he said this last statement as if it didn’t sound as creepy as it was.

Shinichi took a step back just as Kaito took a step closer to him. His monocle gleamed in the moonlight that shined from the window. He knew that Kaito was buying time to come up with a plan. But even then Kaito’s words still made his face feel a little warm. Shinichi knew he had to act quick or else he would risk losing him in the blink of an eye.

“My responsibility is to catch people like you so I wouldn’t advise you try to get much closer,” Shinichi said making sure to look Kaito directly in the eye as he said it.

Instead of shrinking away his gaze was met by an even stronger one. Kaito leaned in closer, too close for Shinichi to feel comfortable. Kaito gave him a look that promised something grand and indescribable.

He bowed dramatically and said, “Hello to the new you, I have a feeling we are going to see each other a lot Tantei-kun.”

Kudo just said, “Is this how you speak to all the people who want to throw you in jail.”

“No just you,” Kaito said while inching closer to him.

Shinchi realised that Kaito was trying to corner him to the window and that he would just have to follow along because according to his plan, Nakamori was the only one with the key and was supposed to come open the door to get Kaito once about 15 minutes occurred since Kaito’s entrance. He had hoped it would allow him enough time to toy with Kaito to learn as much as he could.

He wasn’t an idiot and knew that he wouldn’t catch Kaito tonight since Kaito was far too good of a thief to be caught by a plan by this. Instead this was a chance to introduce Kaito to Shinichi Kudo and show that he wouldn’t be showing any mercy despite knowing him from his days as Conan. He was looking at the start of a rivalry to rival all the ones he had thus far.

Just then Kaito thrusted open his hands and confetti exploded everywhere. In the few seconds of confusion and surprise, Kaito managed to get back the necklace from Shinichi's pocket.

Shichi turned and there by the window stood Kaito who was leaning halfway out of the window prepared to go. From his fingers dangled the stolen necklace.

“Good night Tantei-kun and I would advise you to check your pockets,” Kaito said this before pitching himself out the window.

Shinchi waited a second and then he could hear the opening of Kaito’s hang glider as he began to soar off into the night. Just the Nakamori decided to unlock the door, panting and wheezing as if he had ran the entire way.

“Did you catch him?” he said as he struggled to catch his breath.

“Nope, you just missed him as he escaped about thirty seconds ago,” Shinichi said.

Nakamori straightened up and said reassuringly, “I wasn’t expecting you to catch him on the first time. Kaito Kid is notoriously hard to catch and it will take time to put him behind bars like he deserves. But don’t worry us at the taskforce will one day get our hands on him.”

Shinchi appreciated the sentiment but he wasn't particularly put out by his loss of the infamous thief. This was just the start and the best mysteries were the ones thastumped yout .

“Kudo you have something sticking out of your pocket,” Nakamori said.

Shinchi stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a lavender rose with a note dangling from the stem. It was a strange color for a rose but then again what about Kaito was normal. He removed the note that was tied to the rose and read it.

“ -To my favorite detective  
A rose to celebrate new beginnings and the start of something utterly brilliant ”

It was signed with the Kaito Kid symbol. Shinichi couldn’t help but smile a little and then stuff the note back into his pocket for safekeeping. He followed Nakamori out of the room and back down the stairs.

After he had given his statement on what happened, he headed home. He arrived to his empty house and made his way up to his room. One thing that he would miss the most about being Conan was going home and seeing someone there. There was always Uncle or Ran there when he got home. Being Shinichi was nice but was honestly lonelier than he cared to admit.

His parents had come back to visit him when he had turned back and had offered to stay but he couldn't make them. He knew that they loved to see the world. Telling them to stay would have been selfish. Besides he had been alone before being Conan anyway, it wasn’t too different.

Shinchi realised that he still had the rose with him. He guessed he could have thrown  
it away but he decided to keep it. So he went through some cabinets and found a small vase to put it in. He filled it with water and set it down the nightstand next to his bed. Shinichi stared at it for a little while before he drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lavender = love at first sight


	2. Cream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this also Im sorry if the grammar is bad because again its just me editing.

Shinchi was just finishing up a case that had practically landed right in front of him in the form of a women who had been pushed from her apartment balcony by her jealous sister. He was walking back home when he got a call. He saw that it was Hakuba which was a surprise since they rarely were in contact. 

Shinichi answered and held the phone up to his ear. He said, “Hello Hakuba, can I help you with something?”

Hakuba replied, “As a matter of fact, yes, as you happen to be mentioned by name in Kaito Kid’s latest heist note.’

“Well that’s odd,” Shinichi said feigning shock before he continued, “Can you tell me what it says at least?”

“The note was a cryptic as ever but in very clear words at the end it says, “make sure to bring along my favorite new detective, Shinichi Kudo,” Hakuba said, clearly sounding agitated.

Shinichi said, “That’s surprising since I have really only gotten the displeasure of meeting him, last time.”

“I guess you made a big impression him, as he insists that you come help out with the heist,” Hakuba said thoughtfully.

Shinichi replied, “Well then I guess I’ll be there. Also send me a picture of the note so I can help with decoding.”

The two detectives said their farewells and Hakuba sent him that picture as promised. It seemed that Kaito had something up his sleeve for this heist. He was looking forward to see what the thief had planned for that evening as it was sure to be interesting. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The next day after school, Shinchi headed to the police station and was greeted by Hakuba. After that they headed back to where the Kaito Kid taskforce was working to crack the code on that note. Fortunately, he had figured it out earlier and was there to reveal his findings. 

“Did you crack the coded message?” Nakamori said as he marched up to the two detectives.

Shinichi said, “Yes although it did take a bit of thought to decipher this message.”

Hakuba said, “I’m impressed with how quickly you figured it out.”

“It was nothing, anyway Kaito Kid plans on stealing the “Joyau de la Déesse” which is going to be on display at a gala held by the Suzuki family in a month. The jewel is said to have fallen from a goddess's hand onto earth and whoever possesses the jewel will be given the goddess's good luck. That is what Kaito Kid plans to steal next” Shinichi said.

He had only known about the jewel because Sonoko had began talking about it in homeroom so he was forced into listening. Luckily her chatter had helped him figure out the clues in the note. First the note had mentioned that Kaito would steal the luck from the goddess’s clutches. Which clearly happened to point to the the “Joyau de la Déesse” or the Jewel of the Goddess. 

Nakamori seemed to grumble about how kids these days were too clever for their own good but then he began yelling orders to contact the Suzuki group that they were yet again a target to one of Kid’s heists. Shinichi knew that if anyone would be pleased by this news it would Sonoko. She was loyal to her darling Makoto but Kaito was just too good looking not to take a peak. He just could already hear her, pestering him about information on Kaito. Shinichi as both Conan and himself, had gotten the closest to the infamous thief.

On the night of the gala, security was high and everybody was on alert for Kaito. All possible measures had been taken to secure the jewel and also prevent an unexpected entrance from the thief. But Shinichi knew that Kaito was probably already here amongst the crowd of well dressed party goers. There were so many people that had been invited that it would be easy to disguise as one and sneak in. Shinichi had taken his place where he could keep his eyes on the display case at all times. 

Luckily he had just managed to give Sonoko the slip since she had been bothering him all night. She kept asking him to use his freakish detective skills to trap Kaito and let her get a good look so she could talk about it to the fanclub. Shinchi was not here to catch Kaito for Sonoko’s fanclub, so he waited until she was distracted and made his way through the crowd. 

He was standing there lost in his thought when someone approached him. He looked up to see a girl around his age with long blonde hair and blue-violet eyes. She walked up to him and said, “What is someone like you, doing all alone at a party.”

“Someone like me?” Shinichi asked with a inquisitive look. 

The girl giggled at his expression and said, “Someone as handsome and clever as you?”

Shinichi asked, “How do you know I’m clever.”

“How could you be anything else Tantei-kun,” the girl said, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

His brain had just put together the identity of this mystery girl as the lights went off. There was panic around them as people began to shout. 

A voice that was unmistakably Kaito Kid’s whispered in ear, “Showtime.”

The lights were back on and standing in the rafters was Kaito wearing his signature grin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoy my heist, especially a certain detective,” he said winking at Shinchi. 

Nakamori yelled, “Get him.”

The many police officers milling around began to rush for Kaito but he was too quick as he leaped from his perch and effortless landed in the middle of the floor. Shinichi knew that he would have to think three steps ahead of the infamous thief to have any real chance of catching him or getting the jewel back. Kaito had already shown off his acrobatic skills by making a large jump to the display case in the center of the room. Inside was the jewel that gleamed a beautiful creamy color under the lights. 

Nakamori once again yelled, “Not another step Kid. This is your last chance to turn yourself in.”

Kaito tipped his hat and said, “It always a pleasure Inspector but the show must go on.”

He thrust the contents of his hat into the air and out came his famous confetti bombs that rained down onto the crowd. That moments misdirection as people turned their gazes up gave Kaito the chance to turn his attention to lifting the jewel from its display case. Just as Kaito was about to escape though, SHinichi had already accounted for his escape route and had placed himself in position. Kaito was going to his usual escape route which was looking for the nearest roof. There were three separate stairways that led to the roof. The one with the shortest route to the roof and the closest to the display case was heavily guarded since he was expected to go that way. But Shinichi knew Kaito had a penchant for the unexpected so he picked the one that was farthest from the display case. Shinchi waited till Kaito had entered the stairwell and was well on his way to bolting up the stairs to grab the thief's wrist. 

He used the thief’s moment of surprise to snatch the jewel that conveniently was in Kaito’s right pocket. He then held the jewel aloft in front of Kaito’s face.

“So nice to see that a detective can also double as a thief,” Kaito said. 

Shinchi countered, “I am no thief, I was just retrieving something that belongs to someone else.”

Kaito leaned in close and said, “But what about my heart, you definitely stole mine.”

Shinchi was sure his face turned as he said, “Quit playing around and just come back quietly.”

Kaito tutted and said, “Sadly I can’t stand here and chat and also I have a present.”

In a small puff of smoke, Kaito revealed a bouquet of cream roses that matched the color of the jewel. In a flash, the jewel in Shinichi's hand was replaced by the roses and off Kaito was up the stairs. Shinichi gave chase and was determined not to lose him. At times like this, he wished that he remembered to bring one of his soccer balls so he could nail Kaito in the back. Kaito unfortunately with his head start was making it up the stairs far quicker than Shinchi.

The thief opened the door to the roof and stepped out into the open air. He was not too far behind him as he opened the door not seconds after him. Kaito was at the edge of the roof when he stopped and turned to face Shinchi again. The detective clutched the roses in his hand tightly as he waited for Kaito to make his next move.

“Well it seems you are the one to see me off yet again,” Kaito practically crooned. 

Shinchi scoffed, “I wouldn’t be so happy to see the person who is going to catch you.”

Kaito gave him this look that Shinichi wasn’t quite familiar with before saying, “I will always be happy to see you.”

Shinichi rolled his eyes and then asked, “Why the roses?”

“Because there is another thing I wish to steal that requires a little more coaxing,” he said this with a wink before jumping off the roof and opening his glider. There was nothing Shinchi could do but watch the elusive thief disappear into the dark night. But for some reason the loss of the jewel wasn’t the thing that made him want the thief to come back. 

The next morning Shinchi awoke up and felt his hand curl around something that wasn’t there before. As he brought the strange object to his face, he realised that it was the “Joyau de la Déesse.” Then he realised that meant that sometime during the night, Kaito Kid had snuck into his home and returned the jewel. There was a small folded up note taped under the jewel. He opened it up and it read, “I had to return the jewel to the hand of the lovely goddess. May you gain some of the promised luck.” In smaller letters at the bottom it read “I see you kept my roses, how sweet.” Shinichi groaned as now Kaito was going to be even more insufferable the next time he saw him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudo or even a comment if you are feeling extra nice ^.^
> 
> cream= charming


	3. 13 Light Pink

Shinichi had awoken to the blinding white of the hospital and was for a moment confused on how he got there. But as he shifted and a flare of pain ran down his abdomen, he remembered. He had been chasing down a violent culprit that had bolted. Just as Shinichi had him cornered, the culprit pulled out a knife. Luckily the police were right behind him and apprehended the suspect. Takagi and Inspector Megure were about to congratulate him on a job well done until they saw the knife that was still embedded into his side. 

The time before the ambulance came was kind of a blur. Shinichi couldn't quite feel the pain anymore like it had become an afterthought. He could hear people telling him to stay awake but he felt cold and tired. Shinchi struggled to keep his eyes open as he felt numb. The sounds of the ambulance was far off in the distance. A depressing thought rose from his mind, “what if he died?” Although this wasn’t the worst wound he had ever gotten, it still had the possibility of turning fatal. It would be ironic for this to be the way he went out after all the danger he had been through. 

He must have zoned out after that because next thing he remembered was being wheeled into the emergency room. The noise and bright lights made him feel a little dizzy. The pain in his side was making it hard to think. He remembered one of the nurses told him in a soothing voice that he was going to be alright and that they would take care of him. He managed to stay awake until they gave him anesthesia and he was unconscious again. 

That was how he came to wake up in his bed just a few moments earlier. Shinchi hated hospitals and he wouldn’t be leaving for a few days. Inevitably Ran would hear about this and give him a long lecture on being careful. But at least he would have something to distract him from the boredom that was sure to consume him. Hopefully Ran would bring some of his books as well.

He cursed as he realised that today was the day of the Kaitou Kid Heist. Obviously he would be forced to miss it since he couldn’t move. It was disappointing since he had been looking forward to going again. Shinchi liked the way that there was always something exciting that happened when he was with the thief. His usual routine cases were dreary. The same amount of bloodshed, bodies and criminals piling up. He had long gotten acquainted to seeing a dead body or some violent crime almost everyday. Today it seemed he wouldn’t receive his routine break from the monotony. Instead he received a knife wound that would place him on bed rest which was the equivalent to murdering him. 

From the clock, he could see that the heist wouldn’t start for another three hours. Which didn’t matter because three hours from now, he would probably die from the sheer boredom. Just then a nurse came bustling in asking him about if he was in any pain and whether he needed anything. After that she gave him something for the pain and then made her way out. 

An hour passed by as Shinichi drifted between consciousness and sleep. He always had struggled falling asleep in unfamiliar places. He could feel himself finally going to sleep before he heard the rap of knuckles on his window. Shinji opened his eyes to the noise of the window being tugged open from the outside. In came Kaito Kid holding a bouquet of pink roses this time. 

Shinichi said, “Why is it that I can never just suffer in peace.”

The thief pouted and said, “Tantei-kun are you saying that you aren’t happy to see your favorite criminal.”

“Sorry but I don’t pick favorites among criminals,” he said. 

Kaito said with mock offense, “But I brought these lovely roses and this is the thanks I get.”

“Who said that I even like roses hmm,” Shinichi said in a matter of fact tone.

The thief grinned and replied, “Well it’s not hard to figure out because you keep them on your bedside.”

Shinchi just countered, “Another reason to hate nosy thieves, they sneak into your home.”

“I was just returning something that turned out to not be useful. Anyway here are your roses for this heist,” Kaito said as he set the bouquet on the table in the corner of the room. 

“So I see we are making this a tradition,” Shinichi said.

Kaito said, “Well, of course, because what else would match my dear detective besides roses.,” Kaito pulled a pocket watch and flipped it open to check the time before saying, “Well I must go Tantei-kun but I will come back to visit.”

Shinchi although relieved he would have something to look forward to still replied, “You shouldn’t make that promise when you don’t know if you’ll be caught.”

 

The thief just replied, “Lady Luck seems to be in my favor, so I think you should anticipate that visit.” Then Kaito Kid had escaped through the window again.Shinichi finally felt himself succumb to the warm drowsiness. He dreamed of white billowy cape and the smell of roses. 

He slipped in and out of consciousness after that he only woke up briefly when the nurse reentered this time to check on him again. Then another time when Ran had come to visit. She looked a little teary eyed and she swore that she would kick him in the face if he ever made her worry like that again. Unfortunately she had brought along Sonoko who brought up the bouquet of roses. She teased him asking him if they had been from an admirer. Then she chattered about the meaning of roses but by that time Shinichi was well on his way to falling asleep again.

The next time he awoke, it was when yet again to the sound of Kaito making his way inside of his room. It seemed that the thief had gotten away safely from his latest heist. In his hands, he held his latest catch, the Sanguineum Diadem. The jewel in the center was said to glow blood red under certain light. 

“It seems that you made it,” Shinchi said.

Kaito replied with a grin, “Have I ever broken a promise to you.” 

Shinichi said softly, “I guess not.” The weariness of the day was causing him to feel lethargic so he didn’t think he had the energy to play the game of wits with the thief.

“Getting sleepy there, Tantei-kun,” Kaito said as Shinichi felt his eyes slowly closing.

All he could respond was a small, “hmmm,” before closing his eyes completely. 

“I guess I will let you sleep, sweet dreams Shinichi,” Kaito said with uncharacteristically soft voice. That was the last thing Shinchi remembered before he drifted off into a deep sleep. 

The next morning he awoke to the sounds of soft giggling and someone trying to shush someone. There was a something on his head judging by the pressure and weight. He opened his bleary eyes and although it took a moment to focus, he saw that it was Heiji and the Detective Boys. He slowly sat up in bed, only wincing slightly at the pain. 

“Good morning Princess Kudo,” Heiji said while trying not to laugh.

Shinichi gave him a look of confusion before reaching up and taking what was on his head off so he could take a look. It was the Sanguineum Diadem and taped to the inside was a note.  
“Kaito,” Shinichi grumbled to himself as everyone but Haibara laughed. 

Haibara just raised her eyebrow and said, “I assume that is the diadem that was stolen by Kaito Kid last night.”

Heiji asked, “Why would he give it to you?” 

Mitsuhiko said with a serious look, “Maybe it’s a taunt.”

Ayumi chirped up, “Maybe he is saying he’s sorry that Shinichi couldn’t go. My dad gives my mom jewelery sometimes when he apologizes.”

Shinichi said quickly, “Kaito Kid is known to be a prankster and this is just another one of his elaborate pranks. Now why don’t you guys tell me if you solved any good cases recently”

He managed to successfully steer the conversation away from Kaito as Mitsuhiko, Genta, and Ayumi took turns explaining all the cases that they gotten as of late. Only Heiji and Haibara looked at him funny. But soon they were all too caught up in the Detective Boys’ stories. Heiji would occasionally talk about his own cases. Even Haibara made sure to contribute making sure to add the details that the rest had forgotten. Shinchi just sat back and enjoyed all the noise and joy that surrounded him.

Eventually Heiji and the Detective Boys had to go home, leaving Shinichi alone again. But luckily Ran had as he predicted had brought some books for him to read. Haibara had also added to his growing collection for him to read. Heiji promised to return the diadem to the police station in his stead and promised to keep silent about how it was found on Shinichi's head. 

When he was alone, he decided to read the note that had come with the diadem. He unfolded it and it read, “A crown for my sleeping beauty,” signed with the Kid logo. He felt his cheeks heat as he finished reading the note. One of these days he would get Kaito back for these notes. But Shinchi would have to say that it had been a long time since he had this might excitement in a hospital bed. Usually in the hospital, he wondered if it was some prolonged form of torture. But this time he got some excitement in the form of a caped thief that snuck into his room to make sure he didn’t miss his heist. 

If he had to be honest with himself he would say he hadn’t felt like this since he first realised that he had a crush on Ran before he had been Conan. It was this warm feeling that made his heart feel like it was being squeezed. He felt like that everytime Kaito gave him that cocky grin or handed him roses with a wink. Despite all the obnoxious nicknames and the over dramatic flares, Kaito could be very… sweet. Shinchi let his head fall back on the pillow with a sigh, his feelings still in disarray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a kudo or compliment if you're feeling extra nice.
> 
> 13 = secret admirer  
> light pink = sweetness


	4. 6 Orange Roses

Shinichi Kudo had become somewhat of a common sight since his sudden reappearance in the headlines. Many newspapers remarked about how with Kudo’s return, Kaito’s heists had become increasingly more bold. Die-hard Kaito Kid fans, for example Sonoko liked to say it was because the thief was just responding to some competition. But a small percentage were saying it was because Kaito had taken a liking to the thief and was trying to impress him. Either way, the heists were getting bolder and more frequent. Also the gems were always returned to one Shinichi Kudo. 

The police task force was also hardpressed to figure it out. It didn’t matter that they had placed a security detail to make sure no one broke into Kudo’s house or they had him moved to a secondary location. It seemed that the gem always ended up with him. What they all didn’t know that was every time the gems were returned they came with a note. The note wasn’t meant for anyone but Kaito’s favorite detective. Honestly Shinchi would die of embarrassment if anyone else was to read them. They were often filled with innuendoes and pick up lines too cheesy to ever repeat. 

If anything Shinchi should throw them away but every time he got one, he carefully read it and stored it away for safekeeping. There had become a growing collection that Shinichi had kept in a locked drawer of his desk. Everytime he read them, he got a tingly feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach. It seemed that he had gotten a bit too attached to the thief. Perhaps Kaito had stolen more than a jewel over the past couple months. He found himself looking forward to a new heist, a new chance for them to talk, and a new note. 

That’s why he found himself at this latest heist, waiting for Kaito to make an appearance. The police force were all waiting impatiently for the thief’s arrival. Nakamori had taken to pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself. Hakuba was constantly checking his watch like he was keeping a mental countdown to the seconds. Even Heiji was here since he said he wanted to see what all the fuss was about and he happened to be free. He kept periodically complaining about the fact the heist hadn’t started yet. Shinchi just kept his eyes roving, taking in the room and the possible entrances and exits. 

This room was large and spacious as it was a ballroom. It had a large chandelier that hung from the ceiling. There were exactly four doors leading into and out of the room. Police had all the exits and entrances heavily covered. But they all knew that Kaito would always find his way to outwit the police. It seemed no different as the room exploded in a pink cloud of gas. It was so thick Shinichi couldn’t make out anything. All he knew when the fog had finally dissipated enough, everyone was wearing a different outfit then they were previously wearing. 

It seemed that everyone was wearing a different costume. Most of the police force were dressed like various barn animals. Nakamori was dressed like a clown, complete with a bright red nose. Hakuba was dressed not too differently but he was glued to Heiji, wearing matching shirts. The shirts read, “Idiot #1” and “Idiot #2.” He had gotten the worst costume because he was dressed like Sailor Moon. The skirt was much too short and he instinctively tried to tug it down when he saw it. Somehow Kaito had found time to give him a wig that weighed down his head with all the extra hair. 

Once they were done examining their outfit changes, they stared up at the thief who was dressed differently than his usual all white outfit. Instead he wore a black suit and cape obviously inspired by Tuxedo Mask. He stood in the middle of the floor and bowed almost sarcastically at the room. He said, “Well I think everyone is dressed lovely tonight. I would love to stay and chat tonight but I think I’m in a bit of a hurry tonight.”

He snapped his fingers and the chandeliers all went off simultaneously and the room was plunged into darkness. Chaos ensued as people tried to move in the dark, all trying to move to get the thief. Shinichi felt someone tug on his wrist pulling him to move with them. He tried to tug against the mystery person’s hold but the person stopped and instead whispered, “It’s me, Tuxedo Mask.” Despite his better judgement, he let himself get tugged along by the thief. His heart was pounding in his chest as they managed to slip out of the room. 

The two kept moving through the darkened hallways until Kaito opened a door and dragged them inside. Another snap of his fingers and all the lights came on and it seemed that the chaos outside increased as it seemed they had noticed both of their absences. But inside the small room, it was like a quiet little world had formed around the two of them.

Kaito’s face broke into a grin as he said, “Glad to see that you followed me, my lady.”

“You dragged me here so please just say what you have to say,” Shinichi said looking up into those bright blue-violet eyes. 

“Your directness is what I like about you,” Kaito said with a wink before continuing, “Well I just decided to give a private performance to my special detective.”

He took out his hat and reached inside. Out came a small bundle of orange roses, there were only six this time. They were tied with a dark blue bow and Kaito held them out. Shinichi felt that warm feeling again as he slowly accepted the flowers from Kaito. The brush of their fingers sent shivers down his back. He wanted to hide his face because he was sure that somehow it gave away his feelings. As he looked up again, he could have sworn for a moment that he saw a flush on Kaito’s cheek. 

The noises of the police search began to get closer to their door. It seemed to break the spell that had settled around them. Shinichi felt disappointment as he knew that Kaito would probably have to leave now.

“Don’t you have somewhere you need to go,” Shinichi said. 

Kaito raised an eyebrow and said, “You are not going to try to stop me.”

Shinichi shrugged and said, “Who said I wouldn’t. I just assumed that you might be leaving before Nakamori arrives.”

Kaito just smirked and said, “At your insistence. I shall make my leave.” He blew Shinchi a kiss before in a dramatic sweep of his cape he was gone. Leaving Shinchi all alone in the room, feeling warm down to his toes despite the absurdly short skirt that he was forced to wear. He slipped out of the room into the hallway and made it back to the main room. Heiji was waiting by the entrance and it looked like he had managed to free himself from Hakuba.

“Where did you disappear off to,” Heiji said as he approached him. 

Shinchi just sighed and said, “I was with our thief.”

“Then I assume that he was the one who gave you those roses,” Heiji said giving him an infuriatingly knowing look.

“He gives lots of people roses,” Shinichi said smoothly, looking down at his orange roses.

“Ahh but that doesn’t explain why he specifically decided to go with a matching costume with you,” Heiji said teasingly.

Shinichi felt his mouth open and close as he tried to come up with a proper response. He just rationalized it was Kaito’s way of teasing him. That was all he meant when he called Shinchi his favorite detective or handed him roses. He tried to ignore the disappointment that thought brought him and just said, “Kaito likes giving me special treatment since he thinks of me as his rival.”

Heiji looked like he wanted to say more but then he got a phonecall. He quickly picked it up and from the sounds of it, Heiji had yet again forgotten he had planned something with Kazuha. The phone called ended and Heiji said, “Sorry Kudo I have to get going,” before hightailing it out of the room. Shinchi was about to go too when he realized he was still in that Sailor Moon costume. Shinchi removed the heavy wig but he still had to cover the rest of his ridiculous outfit. He asked around and it seemed the most anyone could lend him was a large trench coat to cover up most of the outfit. He guessed that would have to do since he could just have Professor Agasa pick him up. 

Once Agasa arrived, he gratefully got in the car and settled in. Then surprisingly he heard Haibara say curiously, “So what are you hiding under that trench coat?.”

Shinichi groaned at the questions and said to Agasa, “Why did you have to bring Haibara.”

“I am quite capable of inviting myself,” Haibara said almost smugly and continued, “So I’m guessing it was Kaito’s doing from the new bundle of roses.”

Shinichi turned red in response and clutched the orange roses in his hand just a little bit harder. He knew that Haibara could pick up his feelings for the thief. She kept telling him to confess already because the tension was killing her. Then he would tell her to go act like a normal kid for once. 

“Don’t tease him too hard,” Agasa said with a smile.

Haibara spent the rest of the car ride trying to get him reveal the outfit. He knew it was futile because he knew either Heiji or someone else at the heist had probably taken a picture. Kaito Kid heists were almost always documented to some extent. Also the fanclub included people in the police so there tended to be some pictures that lingered on the internet. 

So it was honestly a matter of time before Haibara saw the mini skirt and the bows. He hated to think when Sonoko and Ran would see it. This would certainly mean permanent teasing rights but he didn’t regret going to this heist. Shinichi couldn’t forget the atmosphere in the room as they stood together. The slight tingle in his fingers as they brushed against Kaito’s. He might sound pathetic but that was just how Kaito made him feel. Every innuendo and pick up line made him flustered even though he might not show it. Everytime he heard Kaito call him “his favorite detective” he felt his chest squeeze. 

They eventually got home and Shinchi stepped out of the car. He must not have realised that the trenchcoat had ridden up because that’s when Haibara said, “Nice skirt Kudo, it really accentuates your legs.” 

Shinchi quickly tugged down the bottom of the trench coat and walked a little faster. He swear he could hear Haibara laughing in the distance. He got home and made his way quickly to his room. He set the roses in the vase that had taken residence on his nightstand. He quickly changed out of the costume and set it out on the bed. He thought about throwing it away but as something in him just told him not too. Maybe he was just a little too lovesick. All he could do was sigh and hook the outfit up in the back of his closet. He guessed he was a little too enamored with the elusive thief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudo or comment if youre feeling nice (they are like heaven for a writer)
> 
> 6= need to be loved  
> orange = desire


	5. Eleven Deep Red Roses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is a bit late ^.^ school is tiring

               The last jewel was returned to him sitting at his desk at school in a box in the the middle of a large bouquet of yellow roses with red tips. He walked to his classroom and was greeted to the sight of a bunch of people crowded around his desk. At first he wondered what could possibly be that interesting until he saw the large amount of flowers on his desk. He guessed Kaitou just couldn’t settle with even returning the jewels without some dramatic gesture. Ran and Sonoko were crowded closest to his desk and once he pushed through the crowd, they turned to face him.

             Sonoko just gave him a wink and said, “So the detective nerd finally has a secret admirer? Just who would be giving you this many roses when it isn’t even Valentine's day yet?”

             Shinichi knew that if he didn’t just say it now that they would pester him until he gave in. He just sat down at his desk and took the box out of the bouquet. He made sure to say in an almost bored tone, “It’s just Kaitou’s way of returning the jewels that he stole.”

             She looked a little disappointed but said, “Why do you get roses from my beloved Kid? I guess some people just get all of the luck.”

             He wanted to laugh at the thought of him possibly having any sort of luck. His entire life as of late was just one unfortunate incident after another. It was like sometimes he really just couldn’t catch a break. He wondered what he must have done in his past life to deserve such a punishment. Though Shinchi guessed that meeting Kaitou was a bit of a stroke of luck. But then again Kaitou was as lucky as Shinichi was unlucky, so perhaps some of his luck was rubbing off on him.

             Ran interrupted his thoughts by saying, “Well you look happy at least.” He realised that he had started to smile. Ran just smiled at him back with this knowing look that said she was rooting for him. It seemed that they didn’t have to talk sometimes because they had been with each other so long that they just could sense what the other was feeling. Or maybe it was just Ran’s intuition, but either way it seemed like she knew what Shinichi felt.

             Class started not soon after and the crowd dispersed around his desk. The rest of the school day was calm and as it was usually, boring. He stared out the window and looked at the trees that had turned an array of red, orange, and brown. It was November now and the weather was slowly getting colder and the days shorter. He wondered what Kaitou kid was doing as a civilian. Was he a student? If so did he also look out the classroom window or was he the kind of student to nap during class? Shinchi almost laughed because he knew Kaitou was probably some prankster with the amount of pranks he pulled on heists. One day he hoped that he could see the person behind the flashy white suit, top hat, and monocle. He could only that one day, they could both trust each other enough to shed their masks.

           A month went by before there was another heist, this time a private collection of jewels that were going to be auctioned off in 2 weeks on Christmas Eve. Specifically the most valuable piece, the Winter Diamond. The auction had contacted the police at once when they received the note. They were desperate to keep their image and obviously the theft of their prize piece would cause a major loss in reputation. Even though at least in a Kaitou Kid heist the jewel would be returned. Shinchi was obviously going to be assisting the task force with capturing the thief. The taskforce was especially fired up after the costume incident of last heist. The pictures from the incident had blown up on the internet and Shinchi wanted to die of embarrassment as he saw himself in that Sailor Moon costume. Ran and Sonoko managed to bring it up whenever possible to make him annoyed. But he couldn’t say that he hated that night. The smirk on Kaitou’s face and the glint in his eyes replayed in his head constantly.

            Shinchi guessed that’s just what happened when one was in love with someone they could never have. For one, it's not like he could just ignore the fact that he was a wanted criminal. It would be a conflict of interest to claim to be trying to catch the thief but really all he want to do was get closer to the brilliance that was Kaitou Kid. No matter how much he would like to lie to himself he couldn’t deny the warmth in his chest as he thought of the thief. Kaitou would probably never know how weak he made Shinchi how his heart wouldn’t stop racing when Kaitou got closer. How he made of with heart along with the jewels and he didn’t want it back. All he could do is chase him, reaching and sprinting after the one puzzle of person that made his head spin.

                                                                                                   ----------------------------------time skip------------------------------------------------------

            It was Christmas Eve and the city was covered in a soft blanket of snow. Ran had fussed when he said that he would be going to the heist instead of coming over to her place to celebrate. But she conceded eventually and made him promise to dress warmly and call her when it was over. He chuckled and said, “Thanks mom,” before leaving to go get ready. He wanted to get there early in order to further scope out likely hiding place and escape routes. Shinichi could feel his heart already starting to beat faster at the thought of seeing him again.

           When he finally made it to the gallery where the collection was on display, he had to pause for a moment to take in the layout of the building. The place was very large for one with four floors, but what was really interesting was within the building. The entire building was built like a maze, complete with winding hallways and dead ends. The purpose was security as it made it near impossible to navigate out of the building without using the mapped out regions designed for guests which were heavily guarded. However Kaitou Kid was all about the impossible so if anyone could get around it, it would be him.

            Once Shinichi had gone over planning with police, he settled in to keep watch on the Winter Diamond. It was always tedious waiting for Kaitou to make his appearance but he would just have to wait. He pulled out some case files he brought to keep him occupied. These were current open cases and a couple cold cases that he was consulting on for the police. Shinchi let himself get absorbed by the details of the case as he flipped through the police notes.

            This was a mistake as he nearly jumped out of his chair when he felt a puff of warm breath against the back of his neck. A very familiar voice chuckled and said, “Didn’t mean to scare you but the way you jumped was priceless.” The grin on Kaitou’ s face was positively wolfish and without further ado he snapped his fingers. From the ceiling a heavy amount of white powder fell, filling his vision with white.

           Kaitou grabbed his hand suddenly and pulled Shinchi into the maze. He had no doubt that Kaitou knew exactly how to navigate the maze. So all he focused on was the fluttery feeling in his chest. Suddenly they came to a sudden stop in a small enclave. Shinchi raised a questioning brow at Kaitou.

         “Why did you drag me here Kaitou?,” he asked with a half-hearted glare.

         Kaitou said with a shrug, “Would you believe me if I said I wanted some alone time on Christmas Eve with my favorite detective.”

         Shinichi rolled his eyes, “No but shouldn’t you try to escape instead of hanging around a detective?”

        “I guess something just draws me to you,” Kaitou said with a cryptic kind of smile.

         They were already standing close but Kaitou had moved in even closer. Shinichi could feel the heat of his breath on his skin, it was enough to send a shiver through his body. He knew that their time together was drawing to a close and he desperately wished he could stop time. Shinchi swore his heart almost jumped out his chest as Kaitou leaned in slowly. His eyes closed almost involuntarily as Kaitou’s lips touched his tentatively. It only lasted a moment before the sound of footsteps interrupted them. Kaitou pulled away slowly and let their foreheads rest together briefly as if he was debating on he could afford to kiss him again. Instead he stepped back and said, “I must be going, my dear detective, but I have a gift before I go.”

           Shinichi couldn’t move an inch as Kaitou grabbed his hand and seemingly out of nowhere produced a bouquet of eleven deep red roses. He pressed a kiss to Shinichi's knuckles before handing him the bouquet. Kaitou took off sprinting into the endless labyrinth of the maze. Shinichi felt the onset shock as his face feverishly hot. His hand squeezed on the bouquet as he tried to rearrange the pieces of his brain that Kaitou had effectively fried.

        Right on cue the police caught up to him, all groaned at the sight of the detective alone. After that his mind was a blur as he was unable to focus on anything but the lingering memories and the rapid beat of his heart. Even as he stepped out into the cold night, he felt warm to his toes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eleven roses= deep or true love  
> deep red= unconcious beauty  
> yellow with red tips = falling in love
> 
> leave a kudo or comment if you're feeling kind ^.^


	6. 2 roses, red and white

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late and badly edited. I had a hard time figuring out how to end this thing so I spent a lot of time writning this chapter.

This heist was looking to be the most daring one yet. It was the theft of the Valentine’s Jewel that was going to be on display in one of the most prestigious museums in Japan. The jewel was recently anonymously donated to the museum and caused a lot of uproar. The jewel had been stolen long ago by thieves and no one had seen it since. This jewel was said to have the power to make one fall madly in love with it’s special glow. Thus it received the name after Valentine's day. So it seemed quite fitting that the heist note stated that it would be on that very day.

  
Many speculated that Kaitou was picking that date and that jewel for a specific reason. Perhaps a more romantic reason like he was going to confess to someone or perhaps he wanted the jewel to get someone to fall in love with him. Shinichi knew that he already had fallen in too deep without the help of some jewel. He was head over heels for the thief who had given him roses and made him laugh. Whenever he was around him it was like all the blood that never seemed to clear from his hands and mind seemed to fade for a little bit. He could smile easier and feel happier than he had felt in a long time.

  
His motivation to catch Kaitou had waned but his want for Kaitou was still very strong. He loved the adrenaline rush of the mind games the two of them could play with each other. It was like chess and he had found quite the worthy opponent to challenge him. Every heist was just a new opportunity to get the other to think and challenge. He knew that Kaitou was getting more and more elaborate with his heists because of him. It was giving the police task force quite the hard time as the the already elusive thief was getting even better at escaping. But Shinchi was getting even better at trapping him, his brain racing through all the possibilities of entrances and exits to come to one truth.

  
It seemed that this heist would be one of their most complex as the police force pooled resources and officers to create a mega fortress around the area. In addition, the actual jewel would be kept in a special glass case that was supposed impenetrable and had a special opening mechanism that was extremely difficult to open. This time it seemed like the plan would keep the infamous Kaitou Kid from successfully getting the jewel. Detective Nakamori had been wearing this almost creepy smile as he carefully planned.

  
But no matter how many roadblocks that they put in his way, Shinchi was sure that Kaitou would find a way to dazzle them all .But for some reason this heist left an uneasy feeling as it seemed that something would go terribly wrong. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what yet but he just knew that something wasn't right. He could only hope that it was just him being negative like Sonoko always said and not a true deduction.

  
The night of the heist was upon them and the air was buzzing with excitement. It was almost scenic as Shinichi made his way inside of the museum. Outside the museum had formed a crowd of spectators who would wait until Kaitou made his appearance. There were many Valentine’s day signs and people dressed in heart shirts proclaiming their love to Kaitou.

  
Valentine’s day was not Shinichi's favorite day since it always put him in a awkward spot. He always received chocolate and confessions from girls that he would have to try to decline in a way that wouldn’t hurt their feelings. But they always ended up crying which made the whole thing even more painful. Then Sonoko would congratulate him for making another one cry and then tell him that she was surprised that girls even tried anymore. Then she talks about how she only makes chocolates for gentlemen like Kaitou and her beloved Makoto. This year however it seemed that he was now yearning for someone to notice his feelings as well.

  
It didn’t matter that he didn’t know who he was or the fact that he was technically a criminal, his heart had decided to turn on his brain. All rational thought had seemingly gone out the window when he had realised that the thief had made off with his heart. But unlike all the rest of the jewels, it seemed Kaitou was not going to return it and for Shinichi, he didn’t think he wanted it back either now. It didn’t matter how hopeless the situation seemed. It didn’t matter how his brain produced about a million ways their relationship could fall apart. All of it didn’t matter as he stood facing Kaitou, not taking his eyes off him for a second, or when Kaitou’s kisses made his constantly full brain go blank.

  
So here he was at the heist pretending like he wasn’t counting the minutes until he saw Kaitou again. The place was filled to the brim with law enforcement and party goers who were there to view the Valentine Diamond. Shinchi had made a round through the party trying to spot anybody who could be Kaitou and from what he could perceive there was no one of suspicion. Everyone had been thoroughly ID at the door to even enter the area. Either Kaito was highly disguised or he was planning to enter the building another way.

  
The heist time was quickly approaching and his logical brain was filled with nothing but that kiss. At times like this he really hated having these feeling.

  
Suddenly someone let out a scream in the center of the room. Shinichi looked and somehow the jewel that had been there seconds ago was gone. The room grew loud as police were scrambling to lock down the area. Shinchi began combing the room for anyone suspicious.

  
Even Kaitou must have some sort of a tell that would expose him. His gaze flicked from person to person looking for signs. The tall lady wrapped in a white fur coat who was tapping her toe. Or the man with the bright blue bowtie who wouldn’t stop fidgeting with his watch. But then his eyes caught on something else. It was someone who looked his age, standing on the edge of the crowd. He wasn’t fidgeting, No. He stood tall and proud but the most unusual thing was he was staring right at Shinchi.

  
The boy looked away instantly when he noticed that Shinchi was looking his way. But he wasn’t nervous instead, he took a look a peek at his watch before looking at Shinichi again. This time he gave him a smirk and wink before pointing at him. The boy pointed in the direction of one of the heavily guarded exits. Then he gave him the most annoyingly familiar smirk as the place was plunged into darkness.

  
Shinchi didn’t focus on the chaos that erupted around him and instead pushed his way to the exit where Kaitou pointed. He quickly said to the police officers standing there that he was going up to the other floors to check for the thief and that they should stay here and help control the crowd. There was a bit of grumbling and caution but he was allowed to go. Shinchi took the stairs two at a time rushing to the roof. It was the most reliable escape route as it had the least amount of protection.

  
Shinchi let out a breath as he opened the door to the roof. Standing up there was Kaitou who had ditched his dark suit for his usual blinding white suit.

“Always nice to see you,” Kaitou said giving him a two fingered salute.

“I don’t know if I could say the same,” Shinchi said but he was sure his bright red cheeks and the way Kaito was smiling said otherwise.

  
“It’s Valentine’s day, do you have a present for me?,” Kaitou said.

  
“Of course not, this is a heist.” Shinchi said.

  
“Awwww well then I will accept my present in kisses,” Kaitou said while puckering his lips.

  
Shinchi feeling up to teasing the thief had started to walk up close to him and kept his gait slow and deliberate. He could see Kaitou squirm for once as his eyes never left his. Shinchi got up right close to him. Feeling extra bold he let his hands lightly rest on Kaitou’s suit before leaning in closer. Kaitou’s eyes fluttered closed and Shinichi was really only going to peck his cheek. However something felt terribly wrong.

  
He caught a glimpse over Kaito’s shoulder and saw the glint of something on the adjacent rooftop. Having been in too many situations like this he quickly grabbed Kaitou’s shoulders to whirl him around. Just as he started to push them to the ground, a shot rang out. A piercing pain erupted over his shoulder.

  
Kaitou realised what danger they were in and quickly worked get Shinchi on the ground so he could look at the wound.

  
“You shouldn’t have done something stupid,” Kaitou said, his eyes burning with concern.

  
“How could I be worthy of being your favorite detective if I cannot protect even you,” Shinchi giving a weak smile as he was starting to feel light headed.

  
“Hang in there Shinchi I’m going to go get help,” Kaitou said as he stood to get up.

  
Shinchi grabbed onto Kaitou’s arm and said, “Wait I have to say something.”

  
“Save your strength,” Kaitou said but he didn’t try to leave just yet.

  
“I love you, Kaitou Kid.” Shinichi said.

  
Kaitou looked so happy and for a moment the urgency of the situation seemed to fade. All Shinchi could do was to stare into those eyes.

  
“I have to go get help,” Kaitou said but not before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

  
Shinchi was left alone with nothing but the cold night and the pain keeping him awake. He was bleeding out on the roof of some building after confessing to a jewel thief. His life really was a mess but for some reason he wouldn't have it another way. Danger was an addictive drug and this life of his was full of fixes.

  
The roof was invaded by police personnel just a second later as they rushed over to him. The ambulance would be there promptly, they said as they tried to keep him calm and stabilized so he didn’t go into shock. Shinchi just tried to focus on breathing and getting out of his brain. He was starting to feel floaty anyway. He dreaded ending up in the hospital for the umpteenth time. Ran would mother hen him for a solid month or two.  
However the thought that kept him feeling at peace on that awful roof till they knocked him out at the hospital was that Kaitou would come visit him eventually. Maybe it was the drugs they gave him but he swore he could smell the faint scent of roses right before his eyes shut.

  
When he awoke in his hospital bed, he felt so heavy and weighed down. His eyelids weighed a ton as he struggled to open his eyes. Shinchi didn’t dare move a muscle as he was already sore enough without jostling his shoulder. His room was dark and sterile and he was utterly alone. Shinchi drifted off again soon after that. Once he awoke again, it was to a nurse who was checking up on him. She helped prop him up and told him, he had guests. He nodded when she asked if she could let him in. As expected it was Ran and Sonoko. Shinchi took in the sight of his childhood friend. Her eyes were red rimmed which spoke of both the crying and lack of sleep. She looked anxious as she was wringing her wrists, a nervous tick that she had. Even Sonoko looked frazzled as if even she had spared him some care.

  
“Hey,” he said although it came out as more of a croak.

  
Ran looked at him and all he could think was, “Oh no,” as her eyes had already started watering as she said, “Why are you such an idiot? How do you go to heist that is supposed to be a 100% safe and end up with a bullet hole in you?”  
“Talent,” He said giving her his best smile.

  
Sonoko said, “Worry Ran like that again and I will murder you,”

  
“Aww and you didn’t worry about me,” Shinchi said knowing that she really cared for him deep deep down.

  
She just let out a huff and turned away. Ran stepped forward and immediately pulled out stuff from her bag. She pulled out some books and case files although he would have to someone read to him, pulled out his phone that she had retrieved for him, and also his mp3. Ran was a lifesaver. She fluffed his pillows and adjusted his blankets before sitting down. She and Sonoko kept him company for an hour or two. After that he flashed his smile at nurses to get them to read to him. After that he napped and then tried to one- handedly read all of his messages on his phone.

  
The pattern repeated for several days which was monotonous and boring. He was crawling in his skin but he knew he wouldn’t be getting out for another week. What was bothering him wasn't the close quarters of the hospital but the lack of something or rather someone from his life. Clearly one elusive thief that was currently messing with his brain. There had been no roses after this heist. The Valentine’s jewel was still missing which was causing frantic problems at the police station.

  
Where was Kaitou Kid? Did something hurt him after Shinchi went down or did he just decide to leave and move on finally? That’s the problem with being in an ambiguous relationship with an international jewel thief as you never know where they have gone. Shinchi was less worried about the jewel and more worried about the thief himself. Shinchi in his examinations over what happened that night had came to a theory on the thief's identity. The boy in the black suit who looked almost like him, was probably the real face of Kaitou Kid. He had gotten a visit from Heiji where they spent some time pouring over guest lists and photos. There was only one guest that appeared in the venue but doesn't appear on the surveillance cameras at the controlled entrance was Katou Kid as he somehow bypassed it to get in unseen. As he suddenly appeared on the floor, milling with the crowd. Shinchi didn’t dare say a word or do anything to betray that he may know that this was probably the identity to his almost something more. Heiji was trustworthy but this was not the time to be spilling such delicate secrets.

  
He wondered if he would ever see Kaitou again as maybe this was the final jewel or he had found what he had been looking for. Kaitou was searching for something, that much Shinchi knew from the way he returned every jewel which meant it must not be anything monetary. Something about a jewel made it worthy to be stolen. Maybe this had been the puzzle piece he had been looking for and now he decided it was time to disappear. That worry had dug its hooks into his heart.  
Another week had passed and he was starting to believe the thoughts that lingered in his caged up mind. Kaito was a thief after all so it makes sense for him to stay hidden but SHinchi had mistakenly thought that Kaitou didn’t have to hide from him. He distracted himself by reading case files, catching up on school books, and reading Sherlock Holmes for the billionth time. Anything that would distract him from remembering how soft his lips were. Anything to stop him from imagining those eyes. Anything to stop remembering the faint scent of roses. Anything.

  
Night had fallen and Shinichi was laying awake trying to go to sleep. He was finally going to be able to leave in a couple days. There still wasn’t any news from the thief or the still missing jewel. The police task force was going mad with theories over why the thief didn’t return. Also they had next to no leads on who fired the shots that night either. The security cameras in that building had all been conveniently shut off. It was absolutely baffling.

  
Shinchi must have drifted off because he woke up a little while later. He turned to the bedside table to check the time when his eyes met two roses in a vase. It was a single deep red rose with its stem intertwined with a white rose and next to the vase was a box. Shinchi sat up as quickly as he could and opened the box. Inside was the Valentine’s Jewel and under it was a slip of paper. Shinichi's fingers trembled slightly as he unfurled the paper. It simply read, “Please call me XXXX-XXX-XXX.” He pondered it for a moment before pulling out his phone and pressing the numbers. Each finger press felt like a prayer. Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up. The small illogical part of his mind had taken control of his brain at this point.

  
The phone rang only once before he heard that voice.

  
“Shinchi”

“Kaitou,” Shinichi echoed back before saying the word that tumbled around in his cluttered head for age, “Why?”

  
He heard a deep sigh on the other end of the call and Kaitou took a deep breath before beginning.

  
“I couldn’t face you. Not after letting you get hurt like that. You’re safer without me there,” Kaitou said in this wavering sad tone that made Shinchi want to cry.

“Kaitou, I’m a detective that has faced hundreds of dangerous cases. Safety isn’t exactly guaranteed,” Shinchi said.

  
“When I saw you lying there on that roof, I couldn’t think about anything other than how useless I was to save you. Shinchi I couldn’t live with myself knowing that I couldn’t do anything but watch you die,” Kaitou replied.

  
“So that’s it Kaitou. That’s your grand way of finishing whatever we had. My safety isn’t your job, Kaitou. Unless you pull the trigger yourself than you don’t have the right to blame yourself for killing me Kaitou. Anyway if that’s it bye.” Shinchi managed to keep the wobble out of his voice.

“Wait! Shinchi, that’s not what I meant. I want to be with you in whatever way you’ll have me but I don’t want to endanger you.” Kaitou said.

  
“Well then idiot why don’t you stop blaming yourself and come see me. You endangering me is the least of my worries because I could easily say that I endanger you just as much. SO stop being an idiot. Come. See. Me.” Shinchi concluded.

  
There was silence on the other end of the phone and for a moment SHinichi's heart seized but then he heard a rapt of knuckles on his windows.

  
He got up to unlatch it regardless of the fact he knew Kaitou could probably unlatch it if he wanted too.

  
Once the thief had burst his way into the hospital room, there was a pause as they shared a look. It was full of apologies, promises, and wishes. Then the silence was deafening and suddenly Shinichi felt himself enveloped in warm arms. He buried his head into Kaitou’s neck and listened careful. He could hear Kaitou’s fast heartbeat and felt his lips curve into a smile.

  
“I’ve captured the infamous thief,” Shinchi said teasingly.

  
He could feel the vibration of his chuckles as Kaitou said, “Finally my dear detective and let me introduce you to someone.”

  
Kaitou stepped out of their embrace and gave a dramatic bow and with a single red rose hanging off his fingertips he smirked as he said, “Kuroba Kaito, pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Kuroba Kaito,” Shinichi said as he plucked the rose out of Kaitou’s hand.

  
Kaitou walked up to Shinichi and carefully cupped his face. With a smile he said, “May I steal one more thing?”

  
Shinchi said, “What more can you steal when you already have my heart.”

  
Kaitou’s grin got impossibly wide as he said, “This,” before pressing a kiss to his forehead, “And this,” and placed another kiss on the tip of his nose, “And finally this,” he said before pressing their lips together softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it ^.^ (I love a good comment or kudo ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked this first chapter and if you did why don't you leave a kudo or even comment ^.^


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